{"project": {
"benefits": "The immediate NASA application of this technology is to provide additional power from low grade waste heat, whenever a view of deep space is available. This can be important for outer planet missions. NASA is considering solar power for some NASA outer planet missions, due to the shortage of General Purpose Heat Source (GPHS). Scavenging waste heat to supplement the limited solar power is necessary. In addition, the thermo-radiative cells can improve the efficiency of radioisotope power systems, powered by either thermoelectric or Stirling convertors. Due to the low efficiency of the thermoelectric systems (~7%), there is still significant thermal energy dissipated as low-grade waste heat via the radiator. The proposed thermo-radiative cell technology could satisfy this energy harvesting need and reduce the mass/volume of overall energy systems. In addition, this technology is well-aligned with the NASA Strategic Roadmap (TA 3: Space Power and Energy Storage) as it may have many in-space applications such as on spacecraft or planetary explorers.